The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1887-12-07

The present Superintendent, Prof. I, ].
Charlton, was selected seven and half
years ago, solely because the Board con-
law permits boys over ten and under seven
teen years of age to be sent for incorigi-
bility, but q complaint under oath must
be filed, and the evidence heard in the
presence Of the boy. The Judiciary of the
State very properly construe this clause,
and only commit boys who are absolutely
beyond the control of their parents or
guardians. The institution is for boys
who have committed crime and, the very
worst class of incorrigibles, and 1t is only
these classes that are sent us. Under the
law no other class except committed boys,
can be committed, and are not unless some
person commits perjury.
COMMITTED BOYS.
The members of the board are psrticu-
lsrly gratified with the workings of that
clause of the law which permits the Gov
ernor to commute to the school the SEN
fences of boys and young men over six
teen and under twenty-one years OF age,
who have been convicted aud sentenced to
the State prison. Since your ExceIlency
has been Governor, now two years and
eight months, you have commused the sent
ences of twenty-nine young men, as your
records will show. Some of these are now
in the institution and are proving, by good
conduct and constant improvement, that
they were worthy of your clemency. Some
have graduated, gone home and are now
good citizens. Ii has been our pleasure
to see these young men leave the instiJu-
ton with reformed characters, grateful and
cheerful hearts, and return to homes and
friends, saved. Only two, so far, hsve
shown themselves unworthy of the kind.
ness shown them. How many young
men under twenty-five years of age
who now go 10 the State prison,
could be saved by the same methods of
treatment accorded the boys at the Reform
School is problem which should soon be
solved by the establishment OF Reforms-
tory for Men after the model of the one at
Elmira, n. Y.
sidered him peculiarly adapted by nature,
education and experience for the position.
A teacher or officer in a Reform School
must have received much the largest part
of his qualifications from nature. These are
necessary qualifications which no amount
of education can give him. The faculty of
controlling boys without force is born in
the msn, ana it frequently happens that
those with limited education make the
best officers. Officers are always appointed
on trial, and should they fail, no amount
| OF political influence can keep them in
their places. 1t is only the test Of actual
work that can determine the fitness of an
officer for reform school duties, hence an
examination OF an apple ant for position
| in q reform school, as pu0lic school teach
ers are examined, would be q mere farce.
Should he answer all the questions and
have good moral and religious character
in addition, but lack the born gift OF kind
and cheerful nature, ne Will prove a fail
ure and be untitled for the work. When
the reform school shall be compelled to
i take its officers from q civil service CON-
| mission, the present members of the Board
| will be happy 10 reliuquish their trust.
Reform school work is a profession and
much of the success of our school is due to
the employment of officers who are devot-
! ed to, and are in love with the work, and
are adapted by nature to I'LL their positions.
! Conducting our school as an educational
institution takes it very largely out of the
domain of partisan politics. and we hope,
makes it credit TO the State.
METHODS OF REFORMING BAD BOYS.
The Board has felt warranted in expend-
ing considerable money for repairing and
/ keeping in frst-class condition all the
| buildings and in identifying the grounds.
Every part of the institution is in good re.
| pair and clean, bright and cheeEful. Every
object is calculated to inspire admiration
in the mind of the new boy. He sees
! nothing to indicate that he has come to a
| prison. The building of q new green
house and the repair of the old one have
been the principal improvements made
/ during the year. These are almost the
! first objects that greet the eye OF the new
boy, and he must be very stolid or
! have had all his better instincts blunted or
| crushed out of him by long course of
| crime, If his heart does not respond to the
/ beauty and cheerfulness of the surround
| iDgs of his new home. From the first he
is susceptible of receiving new and better
instruction. The rags in which many
/ come give place to a suit of blue jeans;
/ the boy is assigned to family, joins in
| the sports and songs OF the boys who have
/ preceded him, and enters upon new life.
/ For the first time, perhaps, he is member
| of a cheerful and well.regulated home,
and naturally drops into the ways OF the
/ other members of the family and is con-
tented and happy. The boys, themselves,
thus become efficient helps in the work Of
/ reformation.
| CHEERFULNEss AND FUN NECESSARY IN RE.
FORM SCHOOL WORK.
a boy cannot be reformed in a straight
| Jacket. There is much philosophy and
truth in the question propounded by
| Thackeray in Pendennis, wherein he asks,
Are not even bad people won by a con-
slant cheerfulness and pure and affec.
tionate heart?n The roads to q
boys heart may very properly be
named "Cheerfulness" and Love" Recog-
nizing the importance of constant cheer
! fulness, the Superintendent and officers
enter into the sports and amusements with
as much spirit as the boys themselves In
deed, this cheerful feature of Our instltu-
ton is contagious, and the members of the
board plead guilty TO hilarious conduct
frequently that may not be very becoming
to gray hairs. The fun eliminates at the
Saturday evening meetings, which are held
in the chapel in cold weather, and on the
lawn in summer. The boys sing all the
popular songs of the day, give amusing
Rotations, and frequently the colored
boys close the evening entertainment with
plantation or clog dance, and at the con-
clusion OF these pleasant meetings the
boys march back to their family buildings
with cheerful and happy hearts. The
sight OF 500 boys seated on the grass en-.
joying themselves with innocent
amusements, is inspiring and never
fails to elicit praise from visitors. They
only wonder that some of the boys do not
escape, as the meetings continue long af-
ter dark. That they do not try only proves
that kind treatment is never lost, even on
the worst boys. They appreciate the eff
forts made to amuse and entertain them
and their hearts are too full OF enjoyment
to allow thoughts of desertion to enter
them. The Board is especially proud oil
this record made by the boys of our school
and think it the best evidence OF the eff
cheney of our officers and the success o
the work done by them.